What am I doing wrong?!

[momofelouise]

Help! Okay, I have only had Elouise for four days, but STILL! Shouldn't she be a teensy bit closer to potty trained than this? I must admit, she is doing VERY well at night. so far she has had NO accidents at night and she spends HALF the night in my bed. In the morning after I wake up we go outside (She usually leads the way) and then she pees and comes back in. once we come upstairs and start the day, that's when it all goes down hill! I started the crate training today (That is craiting during the day instead of just at night) and I think I'M the one who doesn't quite understand how it works... I keep her in it when I can't keep my eye on her but then when I can keep an eye on her and i take it off for half a second that's when she goes! She was running in and out all afternoon and finally when I closed the front door she pees on the floor!!!!!!! AGH! she seems to know she has to go outside when we're downstairs, but when we're upstairs she hasn't got a clue ---- I'm so frustrated! This IS my first dog, tell me it's normal!!!! is she going to be one of those dogs who will NEVER be house broken?! I can't bare the thought of cleaning up after a dog I love to death for the next fifteen years!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!

[goforette]

If I remember correctly your Elouise is younger than my two by a bit. Mine are 20 weeks - and we're no where near potty trained yet. Potty training takes time and in some breeds it can take longer than others - and terriers - well they're independent little things that even if they know what they're expected to do - will be defiant and do the opposite. Be patient - you're already doing better than me - mine still go in the night - pee at least - but I'm not crate training either so I know that I'm going to be at this training thing probably a bit longer than you will be. It could take up to a year or so before your Elouise is ready to be housebroken, so don't be discouraged. And if I remember right Elouise has kennel cough right? And if she's not feeling completely well she may just go wherever she feels right now. It will get better - but sounds like you're right on target for Elouise

[momofelouise]

WOW! A whole year? i do feel much better now! you're right, she has kennel cough whcih is probably not helping the situation either. thanks for the advice

H & E

[goforette]

Yeah I know a whole year - you're going to hear from people in here that are way past a year and still having difficulty getting an accident free dog... not to worry you're doing great. I'm hoping that I'll fall into the 8-9 month category! HA! And you're lucky you only have to do one! When my two go - sometimes I don't know which one to scold or reward.... but sounds like Elouise is doing good you'll have to get us all some baby pics

[Barney's Mom]

Oh, the joys of puppy potty training!

Here are some tips to share with you that have worked for us. Set up an area in the house or basement with an exercise pen and her crate inside it. This will give her a place to "be" and to call her own. This is also a place that you can put her when you cannot keep an eye on her. Keep her gated with baby gates in your kitchen for a few weeks, so if she does have an accident, the linoleum is easier to clean than carpet! Next, get her on a feeding schedule. Let her out in the morning, then give her breakfast then water. THE KEY to housebreaking is to know when they have eaten and drank so you know when they will need to go out. Give her a good drink of water 4 times a day, and don't leave a water bowl out so she can drink at her leisure. She will need breakfast (1/2 cup) in the morning, 1/4 cup at lunch and 1/2 cup at dinner, more or less depending on her weight. Feed her dinner and water about 4 hours before you put her in her crate at night. This gives her plenty of time to empty her bladder and bowels before her long night in the crate. She not only will sleep better, she will be more comfortable. As a rule, always let her out 15 minutes after she drinks and 1/2 an hour after she eats. She may not go at that time, but take her out anyway. Then in between, let her out every hour, and before she goes to bed. Make up a command word for going potty. We use "potty time". You will be amazed at how she will learn to associate the word for the job! Barney literally goes on command, which is VERY convenient.

As hard as it may be, don't let her sleep with you at this time. Put her in her crate when she is supposed to be sleeping. It helps her get plenty of rest, and it teaches her that her crate is her warm, cozy place to be, where she is safe and secure. And she will not mess in the place she sleeps, so while she is in her crate, it teaches her to hold her bladder until you let her out to go.

One of the most INDISPENSIBLE dog training aids in the world is the Wizdog. (www.wizdog.com) It is so handy for new puppies, as well as in the process of the dog becoming 100% reliable with potty. It is a plastic tray that you put a training pad in. There is a grate that lays ontop of the pad that keeps the dog from shredding it, and when the dog goes, it goes into the grate and keeps their feet dry and clean. We set this up in Barney's ex-pen and if we are gone or cannot get to him in time, he goes on the Wizdog while in his pen. If you decide to get one of these, they are a lot cheaper on ebay than on the actual Wizdog site. As your pup becomes trained you will find she will use the wizdog less and less, then never.

Please don't feel bad that your little sweetie isn't doing well after only 4 days!!! We have had Barney for almost three months and he still has accidents. We keep him gated in the kitchen where it won't damage flooring if he goes. Then we let him run and play in other areas for a while right after he has been out to potty.

Just stick to your schedule religiously and you will see results soon! It can take months to fully train a puppy, so be patient with yourself and your dog! It will come, and you will have less and less frustration and more and more fun!!

[savannahsmom35]

Savannah was 9 months old before she was reliable with potty training. You pup is still VERY young and she should NEVER be left alone in a room. What you need to do is either leash the dog ALL the time and tie the leash to you. That way, she is always in your sight and you can rush her outside if she tries to go in the house. At times when she cannot be leashed to you, she should be in her crate or babygated in the same room as you are. I had to take Savannah out about every 30 minutes to an hour for potty. Use the same phrase when you go outside such as "go potty", "Need to potty" or something like that. If you use the same phrase, she will learn quickly what that means. Also, she should learn that when she goes out to potty, it is potty time, not play time, even if that means taking her out on a leash. I took Savannah out on a leash to potty and if she went, I let her off the leash in the back yard so that she could play. She learned that if she went when told, she got play time. If she didn't go, we went back inside and did not play. Also, when she goes, you have to go nuts with praise and treats! Your neighbors will probably think you are nuts (mine did). As time goes on and she starts getting the idea of potty training, you can get rid of the leash and just baby gate her in the same room. Slowly as she proves herself, you can begin to let her have access to 2 rooms and then 3 and so forth. She should have prove herself to earn her freedom.

Potty training is a LONG hard process and I can tell you with confience that there isn't anyone on this site who did not feel frustrated with it at one point or another. Just know that you are not alone and your girl will get it too, in her own time.

[Kirbysmom]

I agree, if you give a little less space in your home-and it's not cruel!-they start to see what's "home" and what's "outside." And it's amazing when they get it! Kirby's six months, and literally got potty trained in the last week and a half. She always goes to the door when she has to go now, and if we miss the cue, she either barks for us, or comes to find us and lead us to the door. Wait a minute, maybe she potty trained us! Anyway, I figure she's trained, because yesterday even after her surgery, when she was in an absolute fog from the drugs, she still went to the door to be let out.

[momofelouise]

Thanks sooo much for the encouragement, savannah and Kirby's moms! I really feel good now. i know many people with small dogs that never were fully potty trained - probably because they weren't consistant and gave up. But knowing there's a grand prize at the end of the tunnel is great encouragement! I know with my pet ferret I didn't think he would EVER be potty trained. Adn then one day he just started using his litter boxes! it was sooo weird! Thanks again everyone!

[kayharley]

And just to add a bit of encouragement....there will be a day when all of a sudden they will "get it". Almost like a lightbulb went off over their sweet little heads....

Patience, consistancy, praise for good and never scolding for bad unless caught in the act...

It will all come together